These pickles are quick and they balance the salty, sweet, and sour flavors beautifully. There’s also something gratifying about smashing cucumbers with a rolling pin, so if you have some aggression to let out, here’s your chance! The result is a more rustic pickle, crunchy, refreshing, and delicious.
I’m sorry for the lack of good images of the final pickle—I inadvertently deleted some of the photos from my camera before importing them. Hope that doesn’t stop you from trying this recipe!
Pickled Smashed Cucumbers
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Adapted from Your Japanese Kitchen 3
3 Japanese cucumbers or 5 Persian cucumbers, ends trimmed
scant 1/4 cup (50ml) shoyu
scant 1/4 cup (50ml) rice vinegar
2 Tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp sesame oil
couple pinches red pepper flakes
In a medium bowl, combine the shoyu, vinegar, sugar, and sesame oil. Whisk until sugar has dissolved and set aside.
With a rolling pin, smash the cucumbers, then cut into bite-sized pieces. Put the cucumbers in a plastic bag and pour in the shoyu mixture. Add the red pepper flakes and squeeze the air out as much as you can and seal the bag. Massage a bit, then place in the refrigerator for 2–3 hours.
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